The Bread Box

The breadbox is the third and the most difficult of the three introductory projects in the Lethenty Mill furniture making course. It is my own design, so there isn’t a lot to say about it historically. It is in the tradition of the vernacular – using dovetails, a solid housed base and a hardwood (beech) breadboard as a top.

I worked through this project in pine as I anticipated most learners would want to practice with pine as it is the cheapest wood. Unfortunately, it is also the hardest wood to dovetail! I advise my students not to become discouraged but to do trial runs with scrap wood, keep testing and make sure that tools are sharp. Those who complete this particular project learn a lot of basic cabinetmaking as they go.